Australian Cattle Dog

A Breed Standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

CHARACTERISTICS: Ability to control and move cattle in all environments. Loyal, protective. Guardian of stockmen, herd and property. Naturally suspicious of strangers but amenable to handling. Biddable.

HEAD AND SKULL: Strong, in balance with body and general conformation. Skull broad and slightly curved between ears, flattening to slight but definite stop. Cheeks muscular but not coarse or prominent. Strong under-jaw, deep and well developed. Broad foreface, well filled in under eyes, tapers gradually down medium length muzzle which is parallel to skull. Nose always black.

BODY: Slightly longer from point of breast bone to buttocks than height at withers as 10 is to 9. Level topline, strong back and couplings. Well sprung ribs, carried well back, but not barrel ribbed. Chest deep, muscular and moderately broad.

HINDQUARTERS: Broad, strong and muscular. Croup rather long and sloping. Thighs long, broad and well developed. Well turned stifle, hocks strong and well let down. When viewed from behind, hocks to feet straight and set parallel, neither too close nor too wide apart.

FEET: Round, short toes, strong, well arched and held tight, pads hard and deep. Nails short and strong.

TAIL: Set on low, following slope of croup/rump. Reaching to hock, hanging in slight curve at rear. When working or excited may be raised but never carried past a vertical line drawn through the root. Good brush.

GAIT/MOVEMENT: True, free, supple, tireless, with powerful thrust of hindquarters. Capable of quick and sudden action. Soundness of paramount importance. Stands four square, but when moving at speed, legs tend to converge. Any weaknesses highly undesirable.

COAT: Smooth, double with short dense undercoat. Close top coat, hard, straight and weather resistant. Under body and behind legs, coat is longer to form mild breeching near thighs. Short on head (including inside of ear), front of legs and feet. Thicker and longer on neck. Average hair length 2.5 - 4 cms (1 - 1½ ins).

COLOUR: Blue: Blue, blue-mottled or blue speckled with or without other markings. Permissible markings are black, blue or tan markings on head, evenly distributed for preference. Forelegs tan midway up legs and extending up the front to breast and throat, with tan on jaws. Hindquarters tan on inside of hindlegs, and inside of thighs, showing down front of stifles and broadening out to outside of hindlegs from hock to toes. Tan undercoat permissible on body providing it does not show through blue outer coat. Black markings on body undesirable. Red Speckle: Good even red speckle all over, including undercoat (neither white nor cream), with or without darker red markings on head. Even head markings desirable. Red markings on body permissible but undesirable.

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect on health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.

NOTE: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.